


My Life as a Gas Station Robot

by EveryHybrid



Category: Tales from the Gas Station
Genre: Book 3 Spoilers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:09:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28146633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveryHybrid/pseuds/EveryHybrid
Summary: As it turns out, Jack is a robot.
Relationships: Jack/Jerry (Tales From the Gas Station)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Jack is a highly advanced AI robot designed to believe it is a human. Jerry is not only in on it, but is the technician assigned to keeping him functional and oblivious. 

Or

Two idiots fall in love at a gas station.

These are their stories.


	2. Chapter 2

"The Keeper has created another blog. This will be the twelfth one we've deleted. When is this bug going to be fixed?"

"The Technician has done everything to curb this behavior. He rewired, he reprogrammed, he even hacked into the blog to attempt using frustration and discrediting as a deterrent. Nothing has worked. At this point, it's easier to just keep an eye on the situation and only step in when the Keeper gives away too much information. On the bright side, this "blog" has given us a look at the Keeper's perspective; adulterated access to it's thoughts and feelings that our surveillance wouldn't be privy to. If the Keeper wanders too close to the truth, we'll know, and we can intervene. The blog may be a nuisance at times, but it has also proven to be a valuable tool."

"Wow. All that to convince yourself that fixing the bug isn't worth the trouble. Whatever, dude, I'm just an intern. What do _I_ know?"

Ryan the intern picked up his coffee mug with a picture of a pug on the front and left the dark room. Behind him, his boss's silhouette glowed before a wall of screens. Each monitor showed the same worn down, ugly, dirty building, inside and out. On the center screen, a young man used a broom to swat at a spider nest in the upper corner of the room, above the cold drink case. It was a futile effort. Research had showed that the spiders would rebuild their web in less than 24 hours. 

When the young man seemed satisfied with his work, he climbed down off the chair he'd been standing on and returned it to it's spot behind the counter. Statistically, this was where the man would sit and pick up his book to continue reading. He looked ready to do just that before he was interrupted. The Technician busted in through the front door wearing swim shorts with little crabs on them, and a cropped tank top that said "Science Bitch!" on the front in bold letters. The Technician wasn't scheduled for his gas station duty today, but he was required to check in on the Keeper at least once every eight hours to ensure everything was running smoothly.

"Jack Attack!" The Technician crowed as he leaned over the counter. He appeared drunk. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. "You won't _believe_ what just happened!"

The Keeper sighed softly, but he had a smile that defied his portrayal of annoyance. "I probably won't." 

"I just plucked the _biggest_ ingrown hair ever! You wanna' see it? I'll tell ya' where I found it after." 

"Ew! Jerry, no!"

It was too late. The Technician was already pulling a plastic baggie from his pocket. Just then, a customer walked in and distracted the Technician long enough for the Keeper to sweep the baggie off the counter and into the trash. 

"Hey Old Bob." The Keeper seemed relieved to change the subject. The Technician was now distracted by the display of new energy drinks. All and all, this was looking like another normal day at the gas station. Old Bob, a regular, bought his typical boiled peanuts and tobacco chew. He paid, waved the two clerks farewell, and headed out the door. Someone held it open for him, and came inside once the old man had passed through.

The Boss's heart sank as a familiar, broad shouldered frame and fuckboy haircut appeared on the top left screen, then glided across the wall of monitors until it reached the screen focused on the counter. This was bad. Very bad. The Boss frantically reached for their phone. A rough, masculine voice flowed through the speakers.

"Hey Jack. You miss me?"


	3. Chapter 3

It was his favorite time of the day: time to go check on Jack. Living together made his mandatory check ins so much easier. All he had to do was sneak Jack into "Sleep Mode" for his regular maintenance while he was reading on the couch or something, unlike back in the old days when he would have to break in through a window to get to his robotic charge. 

Jerry looked forward to visiting Jack. This was by far his favorite assignment. Jack's AI system was so...he couldn't explain it. _Human_ , he guessed? It was certainly advanced, that was for sure. Sometimes _too_ advanced. The whole purpose of making this model believe it was nothing more than human was to let the AI advance in the most natural and human way possible. There were hiccups, sure. They never expected it to develop depression, or to mourn for the falsely implanted memory of a lost lover for so long. 

Jack thought Jerry didn't notice when he pulled out those old photos and stared at them for hours on end. The picture of a girl, who was one his developer's daughters. The girl Jack believed he'd once been in a relationship with. Somehow, seeing this hunk of human shaped metal and wires portray such a deep and convincing sadness _hurt_. Jerry couldn't help but feel sorry for him, even though he knew Jack wasn't technically a person.

Maybe that was why he'd taken a particular interest in this assignment. Jerry couldn't help the need to befriend the robot that his bosses called the "Keeper". Jack was just such a classic case of sadboy, and Jerry wanted nothing more than to see him happy. He had to be careful, though. Getting too attached to company property was generally frowned upon.

Jack had been designed to be the keeper of the gas station, a known supernatural hotspot. He was the perfect guardian: hard to shake, didn't need sleep, could work several shifts in a row without breaks, great at dealing with situations that would have the average human running scared. Jack's apathy and dulled emotions made him a perfectly easy to use and abuse retail worker. And Jerry had been given the job of keeping him that way.

Jerry's primary assignment was to keep Jack's software up to date, do routine maintenance, and to make sure he never suspected that he was actually a robot. Him learning that info this late in the game would be absolutely devastating to everyone involved.

Jerry didn't mind looking after Jack. In fact, he very much enjoyed it. Jack, for all his quirks and weirdness, was absolutely adorable. His social awkwardness, his too-big hoodies that swallowed him up, the way he smiled when Jerry came in...Jerry had to admit that he may have caught feelings for this AI. That certainly...complicated things. 

For one, if his bosses ever found out, both their asses were grasses. For two, Jack's eventual fate, if everything went according to his creators' plans, wasn't very pretty. And Jerry wasn't sure, when the time came, that he'd be able to let Jack go. 

But, that was a penny for another day. Today, he had to do his functionality check off and show Jack that awesome pube he'd plucked!

Jerry shoved the gas station doors open and waltzed right up to the counter. "Jack Attack!" He hollered as he leaned over the counter at the tired, pale man. He wished his bosses would let him fix Jack's faux skin to a healthier tone. Apparently they wanted his sickly look to be "convincing".

"You won't _believe_ what just happened!"

Jack did that thing where he tried to look annoyed, but he had that little smile that he couldn't hide whenever Jerry was acting goofy. God, he was so fucking cute. 

"I just plucked the _biggest_ ingrown hair ever! You wanna' see it? I'll tell ya' where I found it after." 

"Ew! Jerry, no!" 

Jerry didn't give him a chance to flee before he whipped out the bag and slapped it on the counter. Jack recoiled. Well, the disgust reaction was working just fine. Just then, Old Bob Hoover, a local, came in to pick up his usual.

Jerry turned to look over the new energy drink display and pretend that he didn't see Jack sweep the bag into the trash, much to his own amusement. Old Bob made his visit quick today, and before long, was out the door. Jerry was about to use the opportunity to slip Jack into sleep mode and upload some updates when he felt another presence behind him. Jerry turned.

Oh no.

"Hey Jack. Did you miss me?"


	4. Chapter 4

Those dang spiders were at it again. Jack climbed up into his chair and used a broom to swat at the persistent nest the arachnids had built above the cold drink case. Tiny spiders fled in all directions until he finally got the last of the mess tangled into the broom.

Jack climbed down carefully and dragged his chair back behind the counter again. With that chore taken care of, it was time to sit down and read his book in peace. Then Jerry came in.

"Jack Attack!" He leaned all over the counter towards Jack, wearing a ridiculous outfit as per usual. "You won't  _ believe _ what just happened!"

Jack sighed, but he couldn't help the smile that tugged on his lips. As much of a nuisance as Jerry was sometimes, Jack appreciated his company. He looked forward to Jerry's daily intrusions into the gas station, even when he wasn't scheduled to work.

"I just plucked the  _ biggest _ ingrown hair ever! You wanna' see it? I'll tell ya' where I found it after." 

"Ew! Jerry, no!"

Jack automatically recoiled when Jerry flung the plastic baggie on the counter, a long, black, curly hair inside. Luckily, Old Bob came in the door and distracted Jerry long enough for Jack to quickly shove the bag into the trash can. 

"Hey Old Bob," He greeted the old man as he approached the counter with his usual purchase. Jerry was now eyeing the new display of energy drinks, no doubt considered whether they would be good mixers or not. 

Old Bob went on his way and Jack turned his attention back to Jerry. He was about to say something to him when a familiar voice and all too familiar words sent an icy chill up his spine. He tried his best, and failed, to not look absolutely terrified as he turned to face Spencer.

"Hey Jack. You miss me?"


	5. Chapter 5

This gas station was an absolute pile of shit. But they had good boiled peanuts. Old Bob climbed out of his rust bucket truck and headed inside for his daily purchase. At the counter, that Jerry fella was trying to show his boyfriend a disturbingly long pube in a plastic bag. 

Old Bob nodded to Jack's greeting and made his stop quick. These two weirdos attracted trouble, and he didn't want to be around when it came through those doors. He checked out and headed for the door, his hands full of boiled peanut cup and chew. Luckily, a nice young man held the door for him. 

Old Bob nodded gratefully and passed through, and the young man returned his nod. What a nice human. Why couldn't they all be so courteous? Old Bob slowly climbed back into his truck, set his peanuts on the console, and drove away.


	6. Chapter 6

The wind blew in his hair as he sped down the highway in his freshly waxed Mustang. Spencer couldn't help the giddy smile that kept finding itself on his face. He was on his way to do his favorite thing in the world: destroy Jack Townsend's day. 

Spencer had just become privy to a secret about that little twink that, he had to admit, even  _ he _ didn't see coming. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. And the cherry on top? Jack had no idea. 

He couldn't wait to see the look on his face when Spencer told him. Sure, he'd deny it at first, Spencer wasn't naive. He'd brought proof. 

The Mustang tore into the gas station parking lot and stopped haphazardly in a parking spot on the side of the building. Spencer's black boots crunched the gravelly pavement as he stepped out and slammed the door behind him. He could hardly contain himself.

When he approached the door, Old Bob was on his way out. Spencer held it open to let the geezer through.  _ That's right old man, get out while you still can.  _

Spencer sauntered up to the counter where those two clueless fucks were completely oblivious to his presence. God, they were so dumb. A wicked grin spread across his face as he said his favorite words. The look of barely hidden horror on Jack's face was better than sex. 

"Hey Jack. You miss me?" 

  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

This fic has been placed on indefinite hiatus. Never thought I'd have to deal with hate in this fandom, smh.


End file.
